


Distant Voices

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Star Wars, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi [23]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Dark Rey possibilities, Evil Snoke, F/M, M/M, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey Needs A Hug, only in a vision though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 23:39:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11611374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Two victims of Snoke, and how they survived.





	Distant Voices

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Loss of hearing
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

 

 Rey still has nightmares.

Just because she's on Ach-To though doesn't mean she can't occasionally hear Snoke. She can still hear his voice, beckoning for her to give in. To kill Kylo Ren, even though he's oceans away. It's after a particularly vivid nightmare about killing Kylo Ren and becoming Snoke's apprentice that she jolts awake, shaking, trembling, trying not to scream. She looks around, confirming that she's in her room on Ach-To and not in Snoke's throne room as his apprentice. She can still hear his voice.

_It would be so easy, wouldn't it, scavenger? Just strike him down. Finish what you started on the Starkiller planet. You know you're nothing but a hypocrite, why not confirm it..._

She has to talk to somebody. So she calls Finn. Even seeing his face pop up on the holoscreen is a solace, and she talks about what happened.

"...and I don't want it," Rey says. "It's too...horrible."

"I know. And you're not going to end up like that. You're worth one million of the monsters we fight. You always have been."

Rey smiles weakly. "I can only hope." Right now, it seems as if she's part of a delicate balancing act that she doesn't want.

She wonders if it was like that for Kylo, or if he had jumped into it wholeheartedly. Or both.

Maybe both. Rey doesn't want to think of herself as having any similarities with Kylo Ren. She would never murder or burn like he did. She would never hurt another being as he did with Finn, Poe and her. Or anyone else. Even thinking of having some of that evil inside her is repulsive.

She can only hope that she doesn't fall.

***  
Snoke's gone now.

Even as Ben lies awake in the dark, he can't help but miss the presence of Snoke in his mind. It had been a comfort to him when he was a boy, and it had been a source of guidance when he was...

But was it guidance, truly? Even burning Snoke's body doesn't seem to have answered his questions.

Poe is still asleep, and sometimes Ben wonders how Poe still sleeps soundly even knowing his torturer is in his bed with him. He knows Poe doesn't forgive him, at least not in the sense of simply thinking it was all right to do what he did, but still loves him. How is the question, when he was foolish to throw away the love of his life.

Ben feels Poe stir, and look up at him, a look of the utmost tenderness in his eyes. "I thought something was wrong."

"I'm that transparent?"

"Basically."

There's silence for a while. Then...

"It's Snoke," Ben says. "I'm not used to him...not being in my head anymore."

"How long was he in your head?"

"As long as I can remember. When my parents fought, he was one of the beings there for me."

"You could have gone to me," Poe says. "I could have helped."

 _Of course you would have._ At least Poe would have tried. But he was only a child; he couldn't fix everything.

Poe continues. "I could have helped you, at least."

"Yeah." Ben finally allows himself a smile. "You would have."

Silence. Then Poe says, "Do you want me to stay with you?"

"Please."

Poe holds him close, and all the while, Ben hopes that wherever Snoke is now, he is at peace.

 

 


End file.
